Page 59 - Adventures in Africa

me, while I reload. In the meantime there is no real
danger/'
I felt somewhat nervous at hearing this, though my

uncle knew so well what he was about that I need not
have been alarmed for his safety. Before I could
reply he had descended the tree. Holding his rifle

ready, he advanced towards the lions, but even then,
as he was to leeward they did not discover him.
He was within fifteen paces of them, when he
stopped and levelled his rille. Just then they both

saw him, and looked up as if greatly astonished at his
audacity. lie fired, and the first lion, giving a spring

in the air, fell over on the body of the giraffe.
The second stopped, hesitating whether to leap on
his enemy or to take to flight. This gave my uncle
time to reload when he slowly stepped back towards

the tree, facing the lion, which advanced at the same
pace.
“ Now, Fred! let me see what you can do/J he

shouted out as he found that the brute had got within
range of my rifle.
I obeyed him, earnestly trusting that my shot

would take effect, I felt sure that I had hit the
animal, though, when the smoke cleaved off, to my
dismay I saw it about to spring at my uncle. He

stood as calm as if the creature had been a harmless
sheep. Just as the lion rose from the ground, I heard
the crack of his rille, and it fell back, shot through the
heart. I quickly scrambled down to the ground to

survey the giraffe and the two lions. My uncle
seemed in no way elated by his victory. “ If we had

had our waggon we might have secured the skins,”